27 weeks

Wednesday, April 18th marked 27 weeks.

Here are the facts about our little Snowflake, according to babycenter.com:

This week, your baby weighs almost 2 pounds (like a head of cauliflower) and is about 14 1/2 inches long with her legs extended. She's sleeping and waking at regular intervals, opening and closing her eyes, and perhaps even sucking her fingers. With more brain tissue developing, your baby's brain is very active now. While her lungs are still immature, they would be capable of functioning — with a lot of medical help — if she were to be born now. Chalk up any tiny rhythmic movements you may be feeling to a case of baby hiccups, which may be common from now on. Each episode usually lasts only a few moments, and they don't bother her, so just relax and enjoy the tickle.

Tobie was just checking it out to see if there was anything in there

On Monday, April 16th, I took the 1 hour glucose test. Hubby was impressed how quickly I put down the sugar water. I told him it wasn't as bad as I head heard about. I was expecting something chalky and gritty but it was just sugary orange drink. Good thing I don't mind orange soda. I felt like a hummingbird drinking it. While waiting for my one hour to elapse, Snowflake got very excited. I think it might have been her version of speed or meth or something that gets you really jazzed up.Tuesday afternoon, I got a call saying that I passed with flying colors! Woohoo!!! We don't have to go back for the long 3 hour test!!!

In other news, Week 27 will be a busy one. 

• A shower invitation went up at school for our first shower that will take place on April 24th.
• My school is hosting our 5th Annual Sapulpa Truck Touch on April 21st from 10-2. 
• I got a shower invitation in the mail for our second shower that will be on May 5th in Enid.

How adorable is that?!

• The 26th is our kindergarten program.
• The 28th is Hubby's 30th birthday! What an old man!!!

{I know, those last two will happen in the next week but I will have to be mentally preparing for them now.}

And with April wrapping up that means summer is quickly upon me! The last for the kids is May 11th! WOW that is soon!!!

26 weeks part 2

A few pictures that needed to be on the 26 week post but just didn't make it in time...

I ended up getting the bedding out Friday night while I was waiting on Hubby to come home. I opened it all and then I decided I had better wait for him to put it all together.

There you have it! Our little girl has a bed to sleep in!

We attended a pretty fantastic wedding on Saturday night. The handmade invitation came in a box. I thought I was being invited to a celebrity wedding. The group that sang at the ceremony was really good! At first I thought we were listening to a recording, then I saw they were really there singing. The reception was at a place called The Barn. There was a tent set up outside where the dance floor, cake and tables were. Inside the actual barn was where the food was set up. There were also 3 little areas set up as picture booths. I can't even really describe the unique character everything had and there were so many cool things that I couldn't take pictures of it all but here are a few.

a table centerpiece

one of the chandeliers hanging in the tent

the cake piano- there were 3 real, yummy cakes and the others were just for looks

inside a photo booth

That was all I had but thanks to facebook, you can see more!

the bride and groom- rumor has it Angela made her dress

chandelier in the barn

another table centerpiece

in the barn
those are scrapbook paper flowers on the wall! how cool!

congrats Curly and Angela! their first dance :)

Merry Christmas in April!!

My Christmas present arrived on Friday!!!

You see, when we traveled to Australia over the summer with Courtney and Chris, we visited Melbourne for  a few days. This short trip was a backpacking trip, meaning we literally packed only enough items that we needed and that we could fit in our backpacks. These items also had to be what we took with us on our Coral Reef adventure the days before (since we flew from Cairns to Melbourne). On the first day we roamed the city, we went to Queen Victoria's Market which is the country's largest open air market. There were all kinds of goods, from meats, cheeses, sandwiches and produce to clothes, and other handmade things. There really was a lot of neat stuff. We bought many souvenirs here.

After wandering through the huge market, we went into this little shop, Ambiance. This place was packed with a variety of decorations ranging from spring to Christmas. That is when I saw it. Adorable as ever, Australian animals depicting the nativity scene we all know. I took a picture of it (and got in trouble) because it was so cute but thought "It's $175 dollars." {I'm one of those people that couldn't justify spending a whole lot of money on one thing. I like to get my bang for my buck} Another thought that went through my head was, "How would I get it back with me? It definitely won't fit in my backpack." Also, since I had expressed my interest in it, I was hoping Hubby would say, "Well, let's get it!" but he didn't.

We bought a few items and left the store. We sat down at some of the tables outside while we checked out a map to figure out our next stop. While there, I kept thinking, "I should have bought that nativity scene." However, I did not go back in to get it. 

Buyer's remorse ensued from that point on.

So, I told Hubby that is ALL I wanted for Christmas. I sent him email reminders for about 3 weeks before Christmas. I even gave him a website where you could purchase it. He emailed that company and never heard from them. I told him his next best bet was to look up the store and call them. "How do I call Australia?" He never told me that he had done it but I could see that some Skype credits had been used for a phone call. He informed me that the store told him they ship the nativity scene out a lot... due to buyer's remorse, and that due to the holidays they would ship it the week after Christmas. 

He got an email saying they had shipped it and we should receive it by March 29th. SAY WHAT?! The lady said she would send it by 'Sea Mail' because it was cheaper. I asked, "Does that mean they are sending it over in a bottle or by kayak that it takes 3 months?!" So for the next 3 months, I waited. I won't say patiently because starting on March 29th, I would state, "There's no box on the porch." several times a day.

I told Hubby he had until Thursday, April 5th, to call because our Thursday is their Friday and I wanted to make sure he talked to someone. On one of those days he sent an email. The response he got was that several people had called about not receiving their package so they had called the Australian Post, who told them they got about 2 weeks behind with all the holiday shipping. She told him to give it until the end of April and then let her know if we didn't receive it.

I continued to inform Hubby if there wasn't a box on the porch until I got this picture text.

Happy Friday!

This is how they pack sea mail from the Australian Post

Oh My Goodness! Isn't it adorable!?!?!

Included in the package was a write up from the company that makes it:

Always creating critters and artwork out of the box, Arkart brings an Aussie slant to the traditional nativity scene, with their delightful rendition. The pinnacle of the arrangement; the shining stars which represent the Australian Southern Cross, is used by the characters as the guiding light to find the manger where the baby koala lay. The attention to detail such as the corrugated rusted tin roof and akubra hat wearing three Aussie kings makes this piece a true iconic Australiana scene.

Ark Art hopes you find humour our of their characters that have been appropriated to mimic the traditional scene we all know. The kookaburras with swag hats represent the shepherds attending their echidnas (instead of sheep) whom ride an emu (instead of a camel). The three wise men in akubra hats; being the wombat, platypus and kangaroo carry their precious gifts of Aussie bush oils whilst Mary and Joseph are a cuddly koala family with baby koala in the crib. 

The Holy Koala family

Kookaburra shepherds attending their echidna flock

The three wise men: kangaroo, platypus and wombat

Just a warning: Be prepared to see this cute nativity scene out at Snow'd Inn. :)

I guess...

You can never be too careful!

We parked at Wal-Mart one night and I got out to this really old Nissan Prism. It was so 'new' it even had the old inspection sticker on the windshield. Do you see that it has a club on the steering wheel?!? I mean, clearly, it has a really good paint job, the hubcaps are in superb condition and let me tell you how clean it was inside...... So, the only obvious thing to do is keep it safe with 'The Club'.

There is a website for all the crazy people you see at Wal-Mart. 

Is there one for cars too???

26 weeks

Wednesday, April11th, marked 26 weeks!

This scary picture is due in part to a rainy day and a self timer on my cell phone. 

According to babycenter.com:

The network of nerves in your baby's ears is better developed and more sensitive than before. She may now be able to hear both your voice and your partner's as you chat with each other. She's inhaling and exhaling small amounts of amniotic fluid, which is essential for the development of her lungs. These so-called breathing movements are also good practice for when she's born and takes that first gulp of air. And she's continuing to put on baby fat. She now weighs about a pound and two-thirds and measures 14 inches (an English hothouse cucumber) from head to heel. If you're having a boy, his testicles are beginning to descend into his scrotum — a trip that will take about two to three days.

We have been very busy at Snow'd Inn. As you may have noticed in the belly picture, we have a new color on the wall! Hubby was able to paint the room in about 2 hours. Apparently, the roller machine that was being brought over didn't end up working so he had to do the old fashioned way. All of this painting went on while I was at school so unfortunately there are no pictures to document it. :(

I did take a before picture because I had a sneaking suspicion that  it would be different when I got home.

Wednesday night, it was our turn to host American Idol, which also turned out nicely for needing help moving a dresser into the house. Miss Snowflake's room is really starting to look like a baby nursery.

Excuse the junk in the floor, it hasn't made it to the Lakehouse Office.

The dresser hutch that will be her changing table

The night stand with the adorable lamp!

As you can see, she is already NOT hurting for clothes or diapers

What good big sister :)

 Hubby went to do our weekly Wal-Mart shopping one day and came home with some new outfits.

Add caption

Thanks to the in-laws, we have bedding, the adorable lamp you saw above, a mobile, and a mattress. It just needs to be taken out of the package and put on. Thanks to my Dad, we will be able to bring our little girl home from the hospital. He got us our stroller travel system. We are now equipped to cruise in Fancy or Gus {it all needs to leave the box too but we can wait a little longer before getting that out}.

The kids at school keep commenting how big my belly looks. I respond by saying, "It is supposed to get bigger. That means Snowflake is growing." It will be a sad day when they realize they we won't be in school, or back in my class again, when Snowflake makes her grand entrance. One sub, who is frequently at our school, greeted me with, "Hello." and snarky look on Wednesday. I wanted to tell her that is no way to ever greet a pregnant person but I just ignored her and went about my business. 

We saw the doctor on Thursday (4/12) and he said everything looks good. I have to go in the next couple weeks for the 1 hour glucose test. I just can't wait to fast, drink something nasty, wait an hour and then have my blood drawn. I'm not a fan of needles much less on a hungry tummy. :(

After our next appointment, I will start seeing him every 2 weeks. You know what that means?!? It's getting closer!!! 

25 weeks

Wednesday, April 4th marked 25 weeks. According to babycenter.com: 

Head to heels, your baby now measures about 13 1/2 inches. Her weight — a pound and a half — isn't much more than an average rutabaga, but she's beginning to exchange her long, lean look for some baby fat. As she does, her wrinkled skin will begin to smooth out and she'll start to look more and more like a newborn. She's also growing more hair — and if you could see it, you'd now be able to discern its color and texture.

This week, we 'jacked up' the crib. Big Sister Tobie  likes to be under things and I think Snowflake's crib will be no different. For now it is just bricks wrapped in a towel. We will have to come up with something more permanent and less ghetto looking.

'jacking up' the crib

"I LOVE it under here! I can't wait to have more privacy when there is actually a bed on this thing."

 Happy Easter from Snowflake! Below was her gift of choice to her Dad and all of the Grandparents.

This week's funny story from school:

The same little girl as last week said, "Mrs. Snow, your belly's getting huger than I thought.Maybe even fat!" My assistant and I just tried not to burst out laughing while she thought she was speaking the truth. I think what makes it so funny is that I don't feel like I look much different from the week before but in her eyes, I have just ballooned up.

This week at school I also discovered I can't draw a chalk line, well 3 of them, while standing up. We had our kindergarten egg drop on Good Friday. I went out to draw these lines so our little friends would know where to sit and have some type of boundary so they are not in the way of falling eggs. Who knew that it would be so difficult and leave me winded.

Last week, we had gone to purchase the hutch for the dresser. Earlier in the week when we had called, there were three. When we were there the BBB girl told us they were out and it would take 8-10 weeks to get one in. We both thought that was odd since we had been told there were 3 so Hubby called on Monday. Lo and behold they have one! I instructed him to get online and find a 20% off coupon (because they don't take Bed Bath and Beyond coupons on furniture) before going to purchase it. Of course he listened and went to pick it up after work. The same girl was working and said she felt bad because she saw it after we left. Whatever. At least we have it and don't have to wait 8-10 weeks for it.

We also have the closet cleaned out so now everything in there belongs to Miss Snowflake. We are still on the hunt for a desk. We found one at Staples that we wanted to look at, drove out there, and they are closed for Easter. As we speak, Hubby is moving more little things out because he is ready to paint! The walls are cleared off and spackled. He is just waiting on the paint roller to arrive from Enid (My Dad is coming over to visit and bringing it with him).

Bounce U!

No, that's not supposed to be offensive! It's the name of an inflatable bounce house place. Saturday, I went to my first birthday party of one of my students and it was at BounceU. They have two 'bounce rooms' and then some party rooms. They spent 30 minutes in each room and then went to have pizza, cake and ice cream. 

When I got there, they were already off bouncing in the first room. The main thing you heard were screams as they went down the slides. The birthday girl was excited to see me there. Her family also thought it was nice that I came by. At one point, her grandma said, "You've hugged and said hi to Mrs. Snow, what about your Grandma?"

One bounce room had a double slide, air guns to shoot balls at a target and a multi bounce house with an inflatable basketball goal/ football arena. I think the kids mainly used it to bounce around in. The second bounce room had another slide, an obstacle course, a bounce house with little slide and a spider web like thing with a trampoline under it.

This is my paint drawing of the apparatus. There was a yellow net that went around the whole thing too.  That square at the top is where you climb in to go down the slide.

On the spider web thing, all those 'webs' are elastic-y so your best bet is to use the yellow netting and climb up the side. One of my little girls was having a hard time (I don't think it helped that a bigger girl was just laying up there, like it was a hammock, stretching out the web), so I climbed up there to help her out! {don't worry, all I did was climb. nothing too excruciating.}

It was hard! You had to make sure all your limbs went through the same hole. I tried boosting her but that wasn't working out so well. Finally, I just climbed to the slide and pulled her up there. I think it was the only time that she went down that slide!

After that excursion, we went to the party room. We ate and watched her open her presents and then it was time to go. I would highly recommend having a party at BounceU. Who knows, maybe I'll have my birthday there! :)